Beech Tree News Network

The means to a healthy lifestyle is a popular media topic. Since a healthy life is one of my goals, I read about this topic quite often. Recent health-related reading included the following information.

First, quotes – whether on a calendar, social media or a computer search – remind me that others also believe healthy living is important. Some quotes I’ve seen recently about healthy living included the following (https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/healthy; http://www.funny-quotes-life.com/quotes/healthy/):

·         A healthy attitude is contagious, but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier. – Tom Stoppard

·         The creative people I admire seem to share many characteristics: Healthy cynicism. A real world perspective. An ability to simplify. Restraint. Patience. A genuine balance of confidence and insecurity. And most importantly, humanity. – David Droga

·          After a hard day, choosing to do something to help you feel better – as opposed to staying in a bad mood – is a healthy skill. – Amy Morin

·         America’s health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system. – Walter Cronkite

·         You know, all that really matters is that the people you love are happy and healthy. Everything else is just sprinkles on the sundae. – Paul Walker

·         I believe that how you feel is very important to how you look – that healthy equals beautiful. – Victoria Principal

·         A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. – Paul Dudley White

·         Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have. – Winston Churchill

·         Healthy choices thread through every aspect of life. – Mary Anne Radmacher

·         Some people are willing to pay the price and it's the same with staying healthy or eating healthy. There's some discipline involved. There're some sacrifices. – Mike Ditka

Second, a few weeks ago, the Bowling Green Daily News included the article “Adults Aren’t Adding Height But Still Putting on Pounds” (Sunday, December 23, 2018, 9C). Author Mike Stobbe (The Associated Press) said that the average U.S. adult is overweight and just a few pounds from obese. The findings came from a 2015-16 health survey that measured height and weight and included 5,000 adult participants. One of the findings was that men had a 40-inch waistline on average and women had a little under 39-inch waistline on average. In my experience, maintaining a healthy weight is a huge battle. I’ve jokingly said that my DNA is pre-set to “overweight.”

Third, Better Homes and Gardens magazine usually includes a section entitled “better [Your Guide to a Happy, Healthy Life].” The section consists of health statistics or healthy lifestyle information. I often save the pages for future reference. Some of that health information is listed below:

·         “Coffee drinkers are 18% more likely to live longer than those who don’t have a cup of Joe regularly, according to a 16-year study” (November 2017, p. 144).

·         “15 minutes in the cold has the same effect on your metabolism as an hour of exercise” (December 2017, p. 132).

·         “Your risk for diabetes goes up 45% for each 1000 mg of sodium you eat daily. So stay under 2300 mg. Experts suspect that too much sodium may lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes” (January 2018, p. 96).

·         “90% of Americans don’t get the recommended servings of fruits and veggies. That’s 3 cups of veggies and 1 ½-2 cups of fruit daily” (April 2018, p. 138).

·         “People who eat an orange a day are 60% less likely to develop macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss” (November 2018, p. 138).

·         “10 minutes of movement is long enough to improve memory and engage more of your brain. Next time you’re stumped on a project or working on a deadline, take a short walk” (February 2019, p. 99).

Although I believe health is important, I often fail to make the best health choice. As Jesus said of his disciples in Matthew 26:41, “…The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” These words definitely describe my health decisions. But on a lighter note, Elbert Hubbard advised: “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive” (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/elbert_hubbard_104409).